San Francisco, CA – Today San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos requested that the City Attorney draft legislation to create a permit process to regulate shuttle stops for private employer shuttles in San Francisco.

The number of private shuttles on San Francisco streets has increased dramatically in recent years. The San Francisco Transportation Authority reports that there are approximately 36,000 one-way trips per day taken on private shuttles. These shuttles stop at over 200 different locations in the City. There are currently no regulations governing the locations of these shuttle stops. The majority of these stops are using Muni curb zones, which is currently illegal and impacts Muni service.

“I appreciate how private shuttles help reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions,” Supervisor Avalos said, “but their rapid growth makes it clear that we need sensible City policy to prevent this from growing into an unregulated Wild West era of shuttles competing with Muni for curb space.”

As a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Mobile Source Committee, Supervisor Avalos recognizes that private shuttles are becoming an important part of the City’s transportation and environmental policies.

Despite their benefits, private shuttles present challenges that the City must manage. In addition to delaying Muni service, these shuttles increase the wear and tear on City streets and impact neighborhood’s quality of life. As chair of the Public Safety Committee Supervisor Avalos says, “I recognize the need to address the safety hazards posed by large, double-decker shuttle buses navigating narrow and hilly City streets.” Less direct impacts, such as the dramatic increase in housing costs near shuttle stops, also warrant study.

Supervisor Avalos is encouraged by the work of the Transportation Authority’s San Francisco Integrated Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Partnership Project in coordination with the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), the Planning Department, the Department of the Environment, and the shuttle operators. He looks forward to working with all of these groups to develop a comprehensive City policy to foster additional growth in private shuttles while minimizing their adverse impacts.”

And here’s some related information about parolees from candidate for Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, below.

Welcome back:

“October 1: State transfers parolees to San Francisco’s probation programs and jails – The City braces for influx of ex-offenders starting Saturday

SAN FRANCISCO — On Saturday, October 1, the first group of state prison parolees scheduled for transfer to San Francisco will begin arriving in the City under Realignment — legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on April 4, 2011.

The City has created a comprehensive program to shift ex-offenders to local control, including increasing electronic monitoring, social and rehabilitation programs, and preparing for an increased jail population.

Some details on the parolees and program: · Expected number of new parolees in 2011-2012: 700 · Average age of transferred parolee: 39 · Average number of prior convictions: 7 · Time in which parolees have to report to the City after release: 48 hours · Crimes: Non-serious, nonviolent and non-sexual offenses · Transportation for parolees: City will transport most; some travel by bus

Questions remain: · Recidivism: How will the City’s new parolee population impact jails? · Funding: State funding is short of City needs and only budgeted for nine months. How will programs be sustained? · Impact on City agencies: How will law enforcement, social and health services be affected by the increased ex-offender population?

Supervisor Mirkarimi, Chair of the Board of Supervisors’ Public Safety Committee, convened hearings on Realignment and sponsored several ordinances to address the ex-offender transfer.”